Rochester police check city official’s work phone for investigation

ROCHESTER — The attorney for a city official is looking into whether police should have access to her work phone after her husband was arrested in connection to an accident.

On Jan. 22, police asked a judge to order Karen Pollard — who serves as deputy city manager and Rochester economic development manager — to provide the password to her work phone, which was seized when her husband was arrested in connection with a hit-and-run accident which injured a woman who was walking along Lowell Street the night of Dec. 29.

Leslie W. Pollard, 51, of 17 Hemlock St., was charged with felony conduct after an accident and misdemeanor driving while intoxicated after a 28-year-old woman who was struck suffered injuries to her shoulder.

As part of the process to determine where Leslie Pollard was prior to the accident, police obtained a warrant to check Karen Pollard’s work phone — which is city property — after obtaining probable cause to do so.

On Monday, Karen Pollard, who was a passenger in the vehicle, provided police with the password, allowing investigators to start looking at the information as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident, according to Police Capt. Paul Toussaint.

As police are still “processing the phone,” Toussaint said he can’t comment about what specific information investigators are seeking or may have found.

“We have access to all the data on the phone,” Toussaint said, adding investigators are searching for information related to the case against her husband.

“If it’s not directly related to the case, (the data) won’t be in a police report,” Toussaint said, adding any personal material or confidential information connected to her role as an official will not be disclosed.

Additionally, City Manager Dan Fitzpatrick said he could not comment on any aspect of “a personnel matter,” including the scope of the city’s investigation or who was conducting it.

On Friday, Attorney Jim Rosenberg, of Shaheen & Gordon, said he was working with the City of Rochester and the County Attorney “regarding both the investigation itself, as well as with regard to issues relating to access to the phone.”

Rosenberg said his firm only represents Karen Pollard, and Leslie Pollard — who was released on $5,000 personal recognizance — is represented by Attorney Steven Jeffco. Conduct after an accident is a Class B felony, which could result in up to 3½ to 7 years in prison and a $4,000 fine. DWI is a Class A misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to a year in jail.